Coach Munchak's Friday Practice Report

(on if it’s a different preparation for this year’s Jacksonville team versus past years)

It is just because they had been to this point, passing much more than running like they used to. We played them last year in the opener. It was all about stopping the run, knowing that they were going to run it quite a few times. Their mentality has changed a little bit there. It’s not to say that they won’t run if they think it’s working, it’s successful. But they have changed their look a little bit. They have different coaches, especially on the offensive side. Defense has stayed pretty much the same for the most part. The offensive side has a different philosophy for sure, more like Atlanta. We played the Falcons last year with (Mike) Mularkey. It’s more along those lines, so we’ll see.

(on the play of Cecil Shorts)

Up until last week, it was (Cecil) Shorts. I think he was the guy that had five touchdowns or so and was making the plays. He had that big play in the win against Indy, the 80-yarder. (Justin) Blackmon really hadn’t had a chance to have a lot of huge days. Obviously, the other day he had a monster day, and that’s what he’s capable of. That’s what everyone thought. I think the opportunities are there, and I’m sure his confidence is high, along with the quarterback and their team in general. Again, they’re highly motivated. They want a division team, playing at home and all that stuff. We know it’s going to be a big game, and we’re going to have to do a great job with both of those receivers.

(on Jacksonville’s Marcedes Lewis)

He’s like our guy—big target that can make plays. He had a nice catch last week. He’s another guy, again, that we’ve been around him enough to know the plays he can make. It’ll be a challenge there. They have confidence. They didn’t get the win last week, but obviously they’re very happy with how they played. Now they want to parlay that into a win. We know how bad we need this win, so it’s going to be a heck of a football game for us.

He had his surgery at least a week ago, maybe 10 days ago. Obviously, injured reserve, doing his rehab. Like I said before, that list is way too big, but at least a lot of these guys will be healthy when the offseason starts, not his case, but other guys.

(on Leroy Harris’ surgery)

I don’t know the details or what they did. That’s another one that’s the six to nine month thing, that’s pretty much what you’re usually told. Then it’s just a matter of seeing how the first so-many months go, and then you get a better feel for where he’s at. Linemen are different. I remember Jacob Bell came back, one of our lineman, had one and came back pretty quickly and ended up starting the Pittsburgh game after hurting his in late December. I guess it just depends on how well you rehab and how quickly it comes back. Playing offensive line, you can probably get back a little sooner than some other spots.

(on if he’s nervous about playing a team that hasn’t won at home yet)

You bring that up to (Titans players), but for them, that doesn’t mean anything. We lost down there last year, so that’s all we remember about Jacksonville and the fact that they haven’t played as well as they liked, just like we’ve gotten blown out at our place. We know the feeling. I think it’s just the fact that these games are all division games. We haven’t won one. We just have to get two in a row and see if we can continue and build on our confidence. That’s the last thing on their mind. It’s going to be similar to Miami, there will be a decent, solid crowd. If they play well and it’s a great game, it will be very loud. We’re preparing for that.

(on the rule that a head coach can’t throw a flag on a scoring play)

I’m aware of the rule for not throwing the flag. I didn’t see what Jim (Schwartz’s) response was or what happened. I didn’t see the play live. Just the fact that he threw a flag on a scoring play, he knows that was a mistake. We all know that. I don’t know that everyone knew that if because you throw a flag on a non-reviewable play, that you can’t have the play reviewed now on a touchdown. I think that’s an unintended consequence because I don’t know that they still want to have a bad play that’s not a play, count as a play. I assumed that it would just be a 15-yard penalty from the spot once they decided that it was a touchdown or not.

(on if he hopes that the rule will be changed)

Well, it should. It’s a penalty. The coach makes a mistake, fine, so be it, because it’s a play that’s going to be looked at anyway, the flag had nothing to do with is the play being looked at or not. The rule on turnovers and touchdowns is that it 100 percent needs to be looked at. To me, it should be looked at. If it’s not a touchdown, they shouldn’t get one. The penalty should go on top of that. I agree with that all the way.